AN elderly veteran has been left housebound after his mobility scooter was stolen for the fourth time.

Former Royal Marine George Marsden, 89, said the scooter was taken from the alcove in front of his home in Pheasantford Green, Burnley, on Saturday.

He said the vehicle was his lifeline and enabled him and his partner, who has arthritis of the spine, to get to the shops.

Now, he has to rely on his grandson to bring him food and walk his dog.

He said: “I’m devastated. I’m trapped in my home, I can’t get out with the dog, I can’t even make it to the shop.

“I tried to get to the shops but only made it about 200 yards before a woman saw me struggling on the street and brought me home.

“My grandson has been coming round in the morning to walk the dog and bring food, but he has work and it’s not fair on him.”

Mr Marsden said it was the fourth time his mobility scooter had been stolen and the second scooter to be taken from the area in two weeks.

He said: “I had been out in the afternoon with the dog, and when I went out to bring it in at dinner time it was gone.

“I still had the keys in my pocket, so they must have hotwired it.

“This is the second one in two weeks, one of my neighbours had her scooter stolen as well, it’s ridiculous round here.

“It’s time something was done, the whole area has gone down hill.”

Burnley North East County Cllr Terry Burns described the theft as ‘outrageous’.

He said: “He is a well-known chap so whoever keeps pinching them knows how much he needs them, it’s outrageous.

“He’s a war veteran, he’s done his bit for the country so we need to get it back to him."

The second-hand scooter had been donated by Jay-Care Stairlift and Mobility after Cllr Burns, who is also chairman of the Furniture for Education Worldwide, got involved to help the pensioner.

Cllr Burns said: “I am trying to get some funding together to pay for a new s scooter for him. We will also be using the funding to create a means for him to store it securely to prevent this happening again.”

A police spokesman said: “It looks like they have gone to the front of the property, taken the scooter and made off. The theft is still under investigation.”